#RapplerPets: My pets, my stress busters

MANILA, Philippines – Vodka, my Bichon Frise, started to own me the day I saw her. I could not leave the home where I found her until I had her with me.

Today, a year later, I am still so in love with Vodka. I guess it is because she is my baby. This is so although I live with 5 cats, which I have picked up on my regular runs in the village where I live. I also have 4 other doggie companions. Each of them I love in unique ways.

Living with pets is just like living with people — just more fun, love-filled, and relaxing. Where in the world would I get to come home to 5 doggies who are so excited to see me enter the door?

But, Vodka, like any baby, always has a ready smile for me when I get home, and she loves to cuddle, just because. In truth, my doggy companions don’t know they are not human.

Aside from Vodka, my pet companions are named Tasha, Nik, Yuri, and Gorby.  My 5 cats are Pepsi, Spotty, Bunny, Garfield, and Snowy.

I have read often enough that pet companions make the life of humans better. This I have learned for real, from my own life with pets. 

Why do humans with pets like me do the strangest things for our pet companions? Let me share with you a few reasons:

1. Pets reduce stress and depression.

When you reach middle age and menopause starts to set in, there is nothing like owning a dog or dogs that are devoted to you. My dogs always make me laugh because they do the funniest things and that keep stress and depression at bay.

2. I have read that pets are good for the elderly.

No, I am not yet among the elderly, but in mid-life I truly welcome the undivided love and attention my doggies give me once I get home.

3. Pets give us bigger hearts.

Pets open our hearts to offering kindness to all we meet — after all, my pets are always kind to me. And I believe that if we are given kindness, we need to give kindness back. 

4. Pets are the best company.

If you are single, like I am, chances are you spend lots of time alone. Owning a pet keeps the loneliness at bay.

5. I have met so many people because of my pets.

Whenever I take Vodka with me, I am sure to meet a few new people because they want to meet Vodka.

In the neighborhood where I live, I get to meet lots of people too, more so if they are walking their dogs in the morning. I stop for people with dogs.

I’ve met a lot of people whom I may not have liked, but I have never met a dog that I did not like. I guess that’s because dogs put on no masks, no pretensions. They never try to impress me — they always just are and that makes them all the more lovable.

If only people… 

Watch our cute pet video of the week:

– Rappler.com